Paris Photo 2017: Glamorous Opening at Grand Palais

Paris Photo opened at the Grand Palais with a crowded and glamorous preview day, drawing journalists and art professionals. The fair, often considered more an exhibition than a fair, features nearly 200 galleries and several curated exhibition paths. Three thematic nodes emerge: the body, landscape, and the use (or non-use) of color. Karl Lagerfeld has marked his favorite works, highlighting artists such as Irving Penn, Sarah Moon, Sibylle Bergemann, James Casebere, and Mario Giacomelli. The fair balances black-and-white and color photography, addressing contemporary themes like physicality, war, urban architectural remnants, and cross-continental stories, while also honoring masters like René Burri (at Clairefontaine), Basilico, Fontana, and Gastel (at Photo&Contemporary in Turin), and Man Ray and Nadar (at Gagosian's stand curated by Patti Smith). Notable works in the Prismes section include Victor Burgin (Thomas Zander gallery), Grey Crawford (Taik Persons), and Karlheinz Weinberger (Esther Woerdehoff gallery). A special exhibition from the Helga de Alvear collection features Thomas Demand and Candida Höfer. The first day's partial verdict is positive.